Hospital appliance.



L. P. PARKHURST.

' HOSPITAL APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION IILED JA1L18, 1911.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.;

WIT/M58858:

COl-UI-IIA WM 60-, WASNINGIWM D- Q LINCOLN P. PARKHURST, OIE GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

HOSPITAL APPLIANCE.

fication.

My present invention relates to hospital appliances, and its object is to provide a device for temporarily leveling a sagging portion of a bed by raising the same with the beds occupant.

Hospital beds are usually, and other beds frequently, provided with a mattress-supporting elastic web (as of woven spring wire), supported at the ends on the bedstead. This web sags in the middle with the weight of the occupant. In various ministrations to the bedridden, it is desirable that such sagging middle portion be raised to approximately the level of the webs supports. My invention accomplishes this end, which is attained by, and my invention is embodied in, the device hereinafter described, illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my device; Fig. 2 is a side view thereof as applied to a bedstead (shown in transverse vertical section), and illustrating such device so applied preparatory to its being adjusted to its operative position; Fig. 3 is a like view, but showing the device in its operative position, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail side view of the devices handle and adjacent parts.

My device comprises a compound lever having members 1 and 2 pivoted together at 3, and is operated as follows: having reference now to Fig. 2, the end 4 of member 1 is inserted under the elastic web 5 (carrying the bed 6 and sagged as shown in said figure), and is adjusted to rest on the side rail 7 (shown in section) of a bed having legs 8: the free end 9 of member 2 is now adjusted to rest on the other side rail 10 (also shown in section) of the bedstead, the ends 4 and 9 being so positioned on the side rails that the members 1 and 2 are immediately below the portion of the bed to be raised. The handle portion 11 (curved downwardly to clear the side rail 10) is now lifted by hand until the bolt 12, pressed inwardly by a suitable spring 13, engages such member, as by entering the orifice 14,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 18, 1911.

Patented Au 8, I911.

Serial No. 603,216.

whereupon the device is held by such bolt in itsoperative position shown in Fig. 3, having thus raised and now sustaining the weight of the web 5, the bed 6 and its occupant, in the level position shown in said figure. The upper edge of the member 1 is beveled at 15, as shown, to automatically move the bolt backward as such member is being lifted into operative position, and the bolt may be withdrawn by the knob 18 to allow the member 1 to fall. The under surface of the free end 9 of member 2 may be concave or hooked, as shown, to engage the side rail 10 and prevent accidental displacement, and the end 4: of member 1 may be narrowed vertically toward its extremity and curved as shown to facilitate its insertion under the web and over the side rail 7. The end 9 of member 2 may be bifurcated as shown to provide an extended bearing surface longitudinally the rail 10 for the purpose of preventing the device from a rotary turning movement under its load. A suitable chain 17 may be provided to hold the members 1 and 2 from toowide separation.

Not confining myself to the details of con struction shown and described, I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising in combination with a bed and its bedstead, a compound lever having two members, one end of the first member being pivoted to the second member intermediate the ends of the second member, the free end of the first member and one end of the second member being adapted to rest on the bedstead under the bed, and means for supporting the other end of the second member in the operative position of the device.

2. A device of the character described comprising in combination with a bed and its bedstead, a compound lever having two members, one end of the first member being pivoted to the second member intermediate the ends of the second member, the free end of the first member and one end of the second member being adapted to rest on the bedstead under the bed, and means for sup porting the other end of the second member on the first member in the operative posithe ends of the second member, the free end In testimony whereof I have hereunto set oi the first member and one end of the seemy hand 1n presence of two subscnblng W1t it) end member belng adapted to rest on the nesses.

bedstead under the bed, and an automatic 7 T 7 i w and releasable catch for supportably hold- LINCOLk PARIXHURET' 1g the other end of the second member to \Vitnesses:

the first member in the operative position MARY SCHULTE,

of the device. MARY S. TOOKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Vfashington, D. C. 

